Various types of electronic devices utilize material selection to provide desired charge transmission and injection properties for proper operation. Typically, charge carriers, such as electrons or holes, may be injected from a conducting/metallic electrode into semiconductor elements of the device to thereby provide adjustable electric transmission properties for applications such as switching, current rectifying, etc.
Generally, two main types of conductor-semiconductor electrical contact are used, Ohmic contact and Shottky contact. The contact behavior is generally determined by electrical properties of the metal electrode and the semiconductor, and at time by geometry or other characteristics of the metal-semiconductor junction.
Various electrode structures are known, being configured to provide desired charge injection properties. For example, WO 2010/113,163, assigned to the assignee of the present application, presents an electronic device, being configured for example as a vertical field effect transistor. The device comprises an electrically-conductive perforated patterned structure which is enclosed between a dielectric layer and an active element of the electronic device. The electrically-conductive perforated patterned structure comprises a geometrical pattern defining an array of spaced-apart perforation regions electrically conductive regions. The pattern is such as to allow the active element of the electronic device to be in contact with said dielectric layer aligned with the perforation regions. A material composition of the device and features of said geometrical pattern are selected to provide a desired electrical conductance of the electrically-conductive perforated patterned structure and a desired profile of a charge carriers' injection barrier along said structure.